


covered in the colors (pulled apart at the seams)

by ourlegends



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: (only two out of three dw guys), Alternate Canon, Bisexual Female Character, Canon Rewrite, F/F, True Love, Unrequited Love, no ruby slippers bc it was rushed af...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-11
Updated: 2017-10-11
Packaged: 2019-01-15 15:08:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12323463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ourlegends/pseuds/ourlegends
Summary: Red loves Peter. Truly, she does. But in another life? She thinks that maybe, just maybe, she could fall in love with the curve of Mary’s smile, too.A three-part exploration of Ruby's sexuality.





	covered in the colors (pulled apart at the seams)

The last thing Red ever expects to stumble upon in the depths of her Granny’s chicken coop is a _girl._ Especially not one as stunningly beautiful as this, doe eyes wide against blushing cheeks as she clutches an egg tight in each hand.

 

She’s on the run from something, someone. Red can tell. In fact, she knows this before the girl even says a word. From the way she holds those simple eggs as if they’re the kingdom’s most precious jewels; how her eyes dart side to side, then to the door behind Red.

 

Especially once she spits the most ridiculous name. Frosty, really? Is she truly meant to believe that? Were it any other day, Red would already be doubled over laughing.

 

Today, she’s not.

 

Red never asks for her true name. The girl doesn’t offer it. Instead, they decide on a new one. First Margaret, then Mary. She stays up with Mary until the full moon has nearly given way to morning light. They’re sprawled together across Red’s bed, all girlish giggles and held hands. It’s been years since her grandmother’s cottage has felt this light, since wolfstime and the red cloak still laid heavy across her shoulders haven’t ruled every waking moment of her life.

And if her eyes linger for just a moment too long on Mary’s lips?

 

Red loves Peter. Truly, she does. But in another life? She thinks that maybe, just maybe, she could fall in love with the curve of Mary’s smile, too.

 

* * *

 

She’s the wolf.

 

 _She’s_ the wolf, and oh god, _Peter_ -

 

But Mary is still here. Somehow, for some insane reason, she stays.

 

Even after seeing what Red had done. Even witnessing the mangled remains of the man Red once loved with her own eyes… She stays, legs working for the both of them when Granny tells her to run.

 

She stays, brushing Red’s hair back and holding it until her retches turn to dry heaves, even after nothing (none of _him_ ) is left to spit back out.

 

She stays, holding her broken body close as her wails echo through the night, wide awake even after sheer exhaustion forces Red into fitful oblivion.

 

She stays, forcing food and water down her quivering throat; loops her arms around her waist and rests her chin on her shoulder every time Red swears she’s about to shatter.

 

She doesn’t deserve this. Doesn’t deserve any of this girl’s love, her tireless care. Red is a monster, and monsters deserve death - don’t they?

 

Without Mary, she’s sure that death would have claimed her that night.

 

* * *

 

“I think... I think it’s about time that you should know my real name.” The sudden confession makes Red glance up from the stew she’s boiling over their campsite fire, back straightening as her brows furrow downward. Mary blanches and fidgets under her curious gaze, eyes locked on her now-wringing hands. Silence reigns for a beat, then two.

 

Red only blinks, waiting. She won’t push her. It’s not her place to, not after everything Mary has done for her since the horrible day they left her village behind. But thankfully, she doesn’t have to wait much longer. “It’s Snow. Uh, Snow White.”

 

Snow White. The name plastered in bold letters across every other Wanted poster they’ve passed by. But since when did that matter? Mary - no, _Snow_ is the only one who accepts her, wolf and all. The only one who found a way to believe in her when even she couldn’t.

 

Besides, it suits her. Far better than Mary ever did. White is goodness, purity, beauty, every virtue this woman so effortlessly encompasses. And white mixed with red… It’s blood spattered across fresh snow, fallen rose petals against polished marble.

 

Ruby lips on ivory skin.

 

Red shakes away the passing thought as soon as it comes, gaze darting toward the woods. “That doesn’t matter to me.” It takes every ounce of her strength to drag her gaze back to Snow’s face. She jumps when she finds familiar eyes already locked on her, flames reflected in their meadow-ridden depths. “You’re my best friend, Ma - Snow. Nothing about your name... nothing about _you_ could ever change that.”

 

She swears that she can feel her heart leap straight out of her chest the second Snow smiles. The woman’s eyes are watery when she crosses the threshold between them, arms wrapping tight around Red's shoulders.

 

Red buries her face in ebony hair, clutches tight at Snow’s cloak, and breathes.

 

* * *

 

Years later, every time she catches Snow gazing at David, that passing thought slowly grows into a cruel joke.

 

* * *

 

There’s another body. Another chest that will never rise again, another set of eyes eternally closed.

 

And it’s all her fault. Again.

 

But this time, it’s not her lover that she loses to her own hand. No, it’s her mother.

 

Red had been forced to choose. Forced to pick between her flesh and blood she never had a chance to know, or the family that surpassed what ran through their veins. God, how could Anita have ever asked her to kill Snow?

 

But maybe… Maybe there could have been another way. A way for them to walk away, to leave them all alive. Red should have been able to it, had she looked just a little bit harder.

 

Even to her own ears, that excuse sounds hollow.

 

Still, she sees the way Snow trembles as she throws Red’s cloak over the wolf. Sees her fear morph to pity as Red kneels beside the dying form of a mother she never knew, sobs choking their way up her throat.

 

 _Wherever humans go, death follows,_ her mother had said. Yet the only one who ever seems to have death following at her heels is Red. But if it means Snow is safe, Red would let death haunt her for a thousand years more.

 

* * *

 

They separate not long after.

 

* * *

 

This time, it’s Red who chooses to stay. Time has drawn them down far different paths, but all it takes is one letter from Snow for them to converge once more. It’s without hesitation that Red drops everything to stand by Snow’s side, without thought that she lets the wolf pull its way out of her skin, tames the beast within just enough to keep her best friend safe.

 

Ruby had thought her purpose had died with Peter, but maybe… Maybe Snow is hers, now.

 

Or maybe not.

 

It grows easier with time, seeing her with David. Red learns to look away every time they lean in for a kiss. She ignores the wrench in her gut every time Snow stares at her for a second too long to be comfortable, rests a hand on her arm and wonders when Red will find a love ( _a man_ ) of her own.

 

(If only Snow knew the thoughts that ran through Red's head, and how little they involved any man.)

 

But the worst part of it all? She _likes_ David. The man is kind, noble, and true, everything Snow White deserves from love wrapped up in one handsome package. Red can never find it in her heart to resent him; not when he makes her so incredibly happy. So she ignores the knowing glint in Granny’s gaze. She pretends she can’t see the thinly veiled worry in Snow’s.

 

Red will be fine. She always is, eventually.

 

* * *

 

The day Snow White walks down the aisle, Red isn’t the only one who cries.

 

She’s the only one who crawls into bed alone.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's a wrap on Snow White! I'm honestly not the biggest (romantic) Red Snow shipper, but imo the fact that Ruby had a huge crush on Snow is pretty undeniable. Definitely not a skippable point in her identity for me.
> 
> Next up: my favorite Beauty to Ruby's Beast! Possibly with a guest appearance from Lacey too, we'll see how things go (;


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